Every month, Goodreads and the
¡POETRY! group host a poetry contest. It's a great way to discover and support the work of emerging poets. Join the ¡POETRY! group where you can vote to select the winning poem each month from among the finalists. Aspiring poets can also submit a poem for consideration.
Congratulations to David Underwood, who is our October winner with this poem:
The Soldier and the Letter
by David Underwood
One extremely hot day
at Fort Sill, Oklahoma,
having just had mail call,
during which he received a much-welcomed letter
from his fiancé
several hundred miles away,
he sacrificed the military crease
in his overly-starched uniform
and sat down with his back
against the yellow, weather-boarding
of the barracks to read.
Having read the third
and final page,
the disciplined smile
on his face flickered momentarily
and he then burst into laughter.
“hey fellows, my girl’s getting married tomorrow!”
he shouted between peals of laughter.
This, of course, brought forth more laughter
from his noble companions
along with a few cheers,
and several dissertations
on the low moral fiber of women in general
and his fiancé, in particular.
Finally, however,
the dissertations ended and
the laughter died down.
His companions went inside
to polish boots,
shine brass,
and perform other likewise important
military functions
leaving him alone
sitting on his starched creases,
reading and re-reading his letter.
His smile had faded now
and part of his military bearing
seemed to be missing.
His eyes, normally hazel,
were a brilliant red.
Probably from laughing so hard.
And, big drops of water,
probably perspiration,
were dripping from his cheeks.
It really appeared as though he
was crying, but of course,
the Army doesn’t authorize men to cry.
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posted by Cybil on October, 01
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